Iraq crisis: Three new helplines set up

In a bid to enable quicker access, the government today set-up three new telephone lines in the Ministry of External Affairs' round-the-clock control room to provide information to families of Indians stranded in violence-hit areas of Iraq.
The new numbers of the control room are +91 11 2301 1954, +91 11 2301 2292, +91 11 2301 7160 while its email address is controlroom@mea.Gov.In.
The Control Room was set up on June 17 in view of the precarious security situation in Iraq.
The 24 hour helpline, set up by the Indian Embassy in Baghdad, on June 15 also remains operational. The numbers are +964 770 444 4899, +964 770 484 3247, +964 771 651 1189, +964 771 651 1193.

The camp offices in Najaf, Karbala and Basra are functional since June 28 for assisting Indians nationals in Iraq.
The numbers for Najaf are +964 771 6511190, +964 771 6511181, +964 771 6511179 while the numbers for Karbala are +964 771 6511183, +964 771 6511180, +964 771 6511176.

The numbers for Basra are, +964 771 6511185, +964 771 6511182, +964 771 6511178.
All Indian nationals in Iraq requiring assistance in returning to India may contact the station nearest to their location.
"All necessary assistance, including provision of travel documents, air tickets and facilitation in any other form for travel out of Iraq, will be provided to those Indian nationals desirous of returning back to India," a statement released by the Ministry here said.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had yesterday said that as of July 22, over 4,000 Indian nationals have been provided assistance for travelling back to India, including air tickets to 3,113 nationals, since the setting up of the camp offices.
Of a total of around 22,000 Indians present in Iraq, around 15,000 were in the safe region of Kurdistan which was "a matter of relief", she had said.